It was the same question that Evan had asked him earlier, and he’d pondered it on and off since then. “The decision as to what to do next would be yours.”
She nodded, tight-lipped, before finally standing from the table and moving to the balcony doors. She stood before them, saying nothing for a long moment. Colin rose from his seat. When he was close, he put a hand on her lower back and felt something collapse beneath his touch.
“I’m just so tired of talking about it. I’m tired of even thinking about it.”
“Let’s get out of here and go do something that will take your mind off it.”
“Like what?”
“How about I surprise you?”
Staring out the window of the Camaro as it sat between a couple of minivans, she made no move to get out of the car. “This is your surprise?”
“I thought it might be fun.”
“Mini golf? Seriously?”
Maria eyed with obvious skepticism the cheery lights that surrounded the entrance. Beyond the glass doors she could make out an arcade; off to the left was the miniature golf course, complete with rotating windmills as part of what Colin guessed was a Scandinavian theme.
“Not just mini golf. It’s glow-in-the-dark mini golf.”
“And… I take it that you’ve mistaken me for a twelve-year-old?”
“It’s a good distraction. And when was the last time you played?”
“I just told you. When I was twelve. Kevin Ross had his birthday party here. But he pretty much invited the entire sixth grade and my mom came, too, so it wasn’t exactly a date.”
“But it was memorable. Afterwards, if you want, we can try the laser maze.”
“Laser maze?”
“I saw the banner a couple of months back when I was driving by. I think it’s like that scene in Get Smart with Steve Carell, where you have to try crossing a room without breaking the beams.” When she didn’t answer, he went on. “I’d hate to think you’re just afraid I might win and that’s what this is all about.”
“I’m not afraid of losing to you. If memory serves, I think I was the best in my class.”
“Is that a yes?”
“You’re on.”
Friday morning, Colin woke early and was out the door before dawn. He put in a quick six miles and visited the gym before going online and gathering the phone numbers he needed. He’d been surprised to learn that Wilmington had more than forty florists, in addition to grocery stores that also sold flowers, which meant he’d be busy.
He felt good about the night before. Though it took Maria a few holes and a couple of lucky putts before she began to relax, by the time they’d finished, she was laughing and even dancing on the green after she sank a hole in one on the sixteenth hole to pull ahead for good. Hungry, they skipped the laser maze and he brought her to a roadside stand near the beach that specialized in fish tacos, which they washed down with ice-cold beer. He asked if she’d be willing to go out with Evan and Lily – she told him of course – and when she kissed him good night, he could tell that the evening had been just what she needed.
At the breakfast bar, he began making the first of his calls, hoping he’d be able to knock out the list in a couple of hours, only to realize that the person he needed to talk to wasn’t always immediately available, which meant a second or even third call to the same number. Still, he ran through the explanation and questions he thought might work best: that the wrong card might have been attached; had a delivery been sent to the office; had a bouquet of pink roses even been assembled; and fortunately, most of the people he spoke with had been more than willing to help. By the time he had called all but a handful of shops, it was early afternoon and he’d begun to suspect that the last ones would say the same thing the others had said: that they hadn’t been the florist who assembled or delivered the bouquet.